Ramkumar Ramanathan, ranked 222nd in the world, has qualified for the quarter-finals of the ATP 250 Antalya Open by upsetting world No 8 and top seed Dominic Thiem 6-3, 6-2.
Ramanathan, who had to go through an qualifying event for the main tournament, had beaten world No 68 Rogerio Dutro Silva of Brazil in the previous round to set up a clash against Austrian Thiem.
The Indian had also won a ITF Futures tournament in Singapore in straight sets earlier this month.
Against Thiem, Ramanathan broke early and led 4-1 before closing out the set 6-3. In the second set, he broke early once again with the scores level at 2-2. The fifth game was played till deuce but it was the Indian who broke Thiem’s serve to clinch a crucial break.
In the seventh game of the set, he broke again while leading the set at 4-2. He served it out to take the match 6-2. Ramanathan had only played in one ATP tour event this year before heading to Turkey, and that was in Chennai in January.
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